Carrier-support for signal and switch rods.



J. M. HTZ GERALD.

CARRIER SUPPORT FOR SIGNAL AND SWITCH RODS. APrLICATlON mm APR.13. I918.

1 ,288,399. Patented Der:.17,1? 18.

I 2 SHEET5-$HEET WITNESS A TTORNE? JNVEZTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. FITZ GERALD, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

CARRIER-SUPPORT FOR SIGNAL AND SWITCH RODS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN M. Frrz GERALD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the village'of Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carrier-Supports for Si a1 and Switch Rods, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention and improvements used along railway tracks for holding the push-and-pull rods leading from signals and switches to the tower or other station from which the switches or signals are controlled.

' These rods are ordinal-11y in the form of metallic pipes, this form combining lightness with the desired strength.

In one aspect of the present disclosure it constitutes an improvement upon the device or devices set forth in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,247,310, of November 20, 1917 to J. 0. Mock, entitled Pipe carrier support. In another aspect it has more generic proper ties. j

The primary objects pf the improvement are to simplify the cogstruction set forth in said Letters Patent an to render more rapid simple and easy the desired proper lateral adjustment of the carrier at the time of in stallation, or from tiafne to time as may be required; and, in its more generic characteristics, the'object of the invention is to provide a carrier holding device in which, in one feature, a considerable number of rod carriers may be secured/together, the desired distance apart, in a'unitary structure, with means for adjusting this unitary structure laterally as desired, the-*eby simultaneously adjusting'all of the rods; and in another view to provide a device of this kind in which two bolts, for instance, one at each side ofthe supporting pier or foundation, at once maintain the above mentioned unitary structu e rigidly upon the pier as well as in the pro r relation of adjustment thereon. An auxiliary object is to provide a structure of such proportions as make it applicable to piers or foundations already installed and without any other modification of the sys- Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented De... 17, 1918.

Application filed April 13. 1918. Serial No. 228.365.

trated the new construction in what I now consider tobe its most advantageous forms, Figure 1 being a perspective view of the preferred form of the device complete, as'in use, with one pair of rod carriers operatively thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged media]. section of the corner portion of the device of Fig. 1 which is directed toward the observer;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary'side view of the end portion of a slightlv modified construction; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view of the structure of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1 he pier or foundation 10 may be of any suitable material, .and is usually of concrete. It is ordinarily fiat on top. The general practice has been to secure a piece of wood upon this fiat top surface, as by means of bolts 11 having an end portion 12 tprned at right angles and adapted to be positioned in a hole in the concrete pier as shown, the rod carriers then being secured My present invention and improvements contemplate the use of the pier 10 and b t 11, as in current ractice, but with the," emoval of the wood block mentioned. 1

Resting .upon the pier 10 is a p "r of brackets or pedestals 14, each havin a pair of feet 15 constituting a bearing addpted to rest upon the pier 10. Each pedestal has also a pair of openings 16, shown as recesses which are undercut at the sides, "or, in ct r words, of truncated-cone shape in tra sverse view. The feet or bearings 15. and the recesses 16 are shown as being at substantially equal distances from a medial vertical. line through the pedestals respectively, the recesses being direcriy over the feet respei'itively when in nominal position for use. The hearing 15 may, However, be continuous and may be otherwise shaped, the desideratum being that it shall provide for a rocking of the pedestal thereon upon .the foundation on an axis which is cross-wise of the general tern than to apply the new form of pedestal direction ofthe rails when held in the openings or recesses 16. In my practice, and as illustrated, the rocking of the pedestals is on an axis substantially at right angles to the vertical planes in which the rails, when properly positioned, lie. It is obvious, also,

thatthe foundation may be otherwise formed than as a flat top of a concrete pier.

The two pedestals 14 may be in all rcspccts alike and are so shown, it being feasible to employ the identical construction at each side of the pier 10. The two pedestals need not, however be mounted on the same pier or other foundation.

Two rails 20 interfit slidably with the openings, grooves or recesses 16 respectively as shown, and are retained therein by the overhanging walls. \Vhcre the openings 16 arefl'of the truncated-cone shape the rails are preferably of the same shape in cross view, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and '2. Upon the rails 20 the pipe carriers 30 are secured. by means of bolts 31, there being holes 32 in the rails the proper distance apart to receive these bolts.

The pipe carriers 30 are of well known and standard construction and comprise a grooved roller 33 mounted on a stud shaft 34 adapted to roll in a normally horizontally disposed bearing slot 35. and adapted to carry the rod 36. usually an iron pipe, as stated hereinabove. A second roller 31 on a stud shaft 38 maintains the pipe or rod 31' in its operative posit-ion. Each carrier 30 has a pair of projecting feet 39 having bolt holes for the bolts 31.

In practice the rail openings or recesses 1'3 are so spaced apart that the middle of each thereof substantially coincides with the bolt holes for the bolts 31 in the feet of the carriers 30.

In the modification of Figs. 8 and -l tubular rails 45, being suitably iron pipe about one and one-quarter inches in diameteia ure shown, and the'opciiings or recesses 46 with which they slidingly intcrfit, are also on circular lines in transverse view. The feet 39 of the carriers 30 are held on the rails by hook-bolts 47' encompassing the lower surface of the rails. 1e carriers 30mg, thus held rigidly and adjustably on the rails .45. In this construction thel -iedestal 48 is notably narrower had more compact: thanis the pedestal 14. The pedestal 48 has feet 15 constituting a. bearing adapted to rest upon the foundation or pier 10.

The principles involved and the coustruction by which the rails 20 and 45 and the; entire structure are held in the desired operative position are common to both forms illustrated and will be described in connection with common reference characters.

It will be noted that the general direction of the openings or recesses 16 and 46 are on lines upwardly diverging from the horizon tal in a direction away from the bolt 11,

when the feet 15 are resting flatly upon the foundation. This will be clear from the cross section of Fig. 2 and-from the dotted line of Fig. 3. In order, therefore, that the rails 20 and 45 may slide in these openings or recesses it is essential that the pedestals be tipped inward or toward each other somewhat, so that the recesses may be on lines substantially parallel with the rails. This tipped overposition is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9.. Each of the pedestals is provided with a lug or projection 50, strengthened by webs 51, and located midway between the rail openings 16 and 46 respectively. Each lug 50 is materially spaced upward from the horizontal plane of the feet 15 and is aperture-d to receive the end of a bolt 11, and these apertures are materially spaced outward from the vertical planes of the bearing surfaces on the feet 15. These projections therefore constitute leverage means which are made eifective through the tightening down of the nuts 52 on the bolts 11. \Vhen the nuts 52 are so tightened down, the pedestals 14 and 48 respectively are rocked on their feet or bearing surfaces and the rails, 20 in one case and 45 in the other, are clamped, pinched or bound by the walls about the recesses 16 and 46 respectively. This will be clear from Fig. 2, showing in full lines the pedestal 14 drawn down solidly upon the foundation 10, the feet 15 resting flatly thereon, and the direction of the groove or opening 16 being materially out of coincidence with that of the rail 20. Figs. 3 and 4, which also show the pedestals tightened down, illustrate also how the rail is clamped. In both forms the rail is contacted by the bottom of the recess 16 or 46 at its innermost part, or that part farthest; from the bolt 11. and by the overhanging walls at the top of the recesses nearest to the bolt 11. In other words, the leverage action of the bolt 11 in the lug 50 causes a canting action between the rails and the walls forming the grooves of the pedestal.

.It will now be clear that the single bolt 11 performs the double function of holding the pedestal upon the foundation and holding the rails against any movement relative to the pedestal. It is also clear that bymerely loosening the nuts 52 the entire system of rod carriers there supported may be moved laterally, as a unit. This is a notable advantage in the saving of time and effort and in the certainty of maintaining the carriers at their proper distances apart.

An advantage of the rail coi'istruction shown in Figs. 1 and 3 is'tin the fact that these rails may belengthened-by bolting a tie piece 60 of the same material on the undersides of two rails. as by bolts 61, Fig. 1. When, therefore, it is desired to widen the system of carriers his not necessary to dismantle the structure already ipstal le pl,

but additional sections of rail material 111a) simply be added as shown. It will be understood that if such rails be extended to a considerable distance beyond one foundation they will be suitably supported at their tended ends, as by an additional pedestal or pedestals 14.

The pedestals may be made of gray iron castings. The rails 20 are of rolled wrought iron, and the rails 45 of common iron pipe.

Various changes may be made in the arrangement and construction of parts within the spirit of the invention and improvements herein set forth, and I conten'iplate all such as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rod-carrying device of the cha'r acter described. the combination of a foum dation, a pedestal having a bearing and mounted to roclt thereon upon said foundation on an axis extending in the general di rection of the rod to be carried, said pedestal having rail openings substantially at right angles to the direction of the rod to be car ried, a rail retainingly held in and slidingly interfitting with each of said openings, a.

. rod carrier mounted on said rails, said pedestal having levera e means materially spaced from the vertica plane of said bearing for tightening the pedestal upon said foundation and for simultaneously rocking the pedestal to bind the same upon said rails.

2. In a rod-carrying devlce of the character described, the combination of a foundatlon, a pair of rad-supporting pedestals.

spaced apart and facing each other on said foundation, one of said pedestals having a bearing and mounted to rock thereon upon said foundation on an axis extending in the general direction of the rod to be carried, said pedestal having rail openings substantially at right angles to the direction of the rod to be carried, a rail retainingly held in and slidingly interfitting with each of said openings, a rod carrier mounted on said rails, said pedestal having leverage means materially spaced from the vertical plane of said bearing for tightening the pedestal.

upon said foundation and for simultaneously rocking the pedestal to bind the same upon said rails.

3. In a rod-carrying device of the character described,'the combination of a foundation, a pedestal having a bearing and mounted to rock thereon upon said foundation on an axis extending in the general direction of the rod to be carried. said pedestal having rail openings substantially at right angles to the direction of the rod to be carried, a rail retainingly held in and slidingly interfitting with each of said openings. a rod-carrier mounted on said rails. said pedestal having a leverage part extending materially beyond the vertical plane of said bearing and having a normally vertical bolt hole materially beyond said last mentioned plane. and a bolt secured to said base and extending through said hole for tightening the pedestal upon said foundation and for sinmltmicously rocking the pedestal to bind the same upon said rails.

4. In a device of the character described. the combination of a foundation. a pedestal having a bearing and mounted to rock thereon upon said foundation on an axis ex tending in the general direction of the rod to be carried, said pedestal having a paicof spaced apart recesses of truncated-cone shape in transverse sectional view. a rail of similar t'runcated-cone shape in transverse sectional view retainingly held and slidingly intcrlitting with said recesses respectively. means on said rails for holding a rod carrier. said pedestal having a part extending materially beyond the vertical plane of said bearing. and bolt incans associated with said extending part for tightening the pedestal upon said foundation and for simultaneously rocking the pedestal to bind the same upon said rails.

In a device of the character described. the combination of a pedestal having openings it receive rod carrier supporting rails. and having a bearing adapted to rest. and rock upon a foundation on an axis substantially cross-wise ol the normally vertical planes of said rails. rod carrier supporting rails slidably held in said openings. and tightening means for holding the pedestal securely upon the foundation and For siniultaneously rocking the pedestal to bind said railsin said openings rcsm-ctivcly.

ti, A rod-carrier pedestal for a device of the chalacter described. coi'nprising a sh ucturc having a pair of rail openings on a substantially horizontal plane when the pedestal is tilted in one dircction, the opeir ings being spaced apart and adapted to reeeive slidingly a pair of rails in substantially parallel and normally substantialh horizontal arrangcnn-nt. the pedestal Slllh turc having also a bearing normally below said openings and on which the pedestal may rock on an axis normally cross-wise of the normal direction of such rails when in s. d openings. the strucl are also having a pm e10 projecting materially beyond the vertical plane of said hearing when the device is in normal position for usc. and means on said projecting portion for cngagcn'icnt with a tightening element to tilt the pedestal in the reverse direction and to bind said rails in said rail openings.

7. A rtal-carrier pedestal for a device of the character described comprising a struc ture having a pair of rail-receiving openings spaced apart and a bearing normally beneath said openings and having an cxtcn sion normally above said bearing and maldO tel'ially outside a vertical plane through said bearing, with means in said extension for engaging a tightening element held by an adjacent structure, for the purpose specified.

8; In a device of the character described, the combination of a pedestal having a hearing on which it may rock, a rail slidably and retainedly mounted on the pedestal and extending in a direction crosswise of the axis of said bearing, and means for rocking 10 the pedestal on its axis to bind the same upon said rail.

JOHN M. FITZ GERALD. 

